President of the committee, Andrew Crowley, and head of the university’s Bathurst campus, Colin Sharp, finalised a sponsorship agreement last week which ensures the annual event will continue its rapid growth of recent years.

The Bathurst Half Marathon and 10km races, which are held around the last weekend in April, have attracted record fields for the past three years and organisers last year unveiled a new course that took runners around the river paths and across the old Denison Bridge.

The medium-term plan for the event is for another course change, this time transferring the start-finish from St Patricks Sporting Club, Kelso, to CSU where organisers can take advantage of the university’s facilities and possibly include sections of Mount Panorama motor racing circuit. “We hope the race can involve the university’s all-weather running track which will soon be under construction,” said Mr Sharp.

“We also hope marketing students will take on promotion of the event as a real-life project that will form part of their course. My hope is that the combination of Charles Sturt University’s profile and the energy and enterprise of the Bathurst Half Marathon group will lead to an event of national standing - with possibly multiple categories for elite, intermediate and novice participants.”

Mr Crowley is also excited about the opportunities that will flow from the alliance. “We hope eventually to include a full marathon as part of a running festival,” he said. “There have also been discussions about shorter events and possibly a cross country race.

“The committee will explore the opportunity to include the motor racing circuit which could have appeal to runners across Australia. It would certainly make our race unique,” he said.

“The timing of the race lends itself to runners who are aiming at other prestigious events such as The Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon in May as well as the Gold Coast marathon in July, the Mudgee Marathon and the Mount Wilson to Bilpin bush run, both in August.

“It also takes place a few weeks after Orange’s very well organized and popular running festival.

“It is feasible we could attract some of the country’s best runners while at the same time we will stay true to our philosophy of catering for all levels including novices.”

Meanwhile, interest in this year’s event, to be held on April 26, has already raised expectations of another record field. “We have received dozens of entries on our web site already from runners across the state,” said committee member John Chivers. “We also expect last year’s winners, Rod Draper from Orange and Verity Tolhurst from Cronulla to defend their titles.”

For information about entries go to the web site bathurstrunning.com.au.